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Monday, July 27, 2015

Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) the world's most famous detective knows that his time in solving mysterious cases is over. He now stays in an old house tending with his bees with his housekeeper and her son Roger, who is also an aspiring detective. However, he finds himself haunted by a case that forced him to retire, but he can't remember the exact details, so he tries to search for some clues to close it once and for all.

Mr. Holmes is all about Ian McKellen. He is simply fascinating throughout, and we did enjoy his compelling performance. We usually see him in big Blockbuster movies playing iconic characters like Magneto in X-Men and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. But here he is just a vulnerable detective who tries to reconcile the past while battling to revive his fading memory.

It is not your typical Robert Downey Jr. film that is built in humor and explosive action pieces. It focused more on a series of flashbacks but still keeps the mystery vibe of the fictional detective made famous by Arthur Conan Doyle. Thanks to a wonderful Ian McKellen the film stood out even it is dragging at times.

Overall, Mr. Holmes is exceptional with Ian McKellen leading the charge. It is a great take on an iconic character that is sidelined with sickness acknowledging that heroes also have weaknesses. It is not our usual Sherlock Holmes flick but its a fresh and welcome addition to his already impressive resume.

Tom
Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, facing his most blisteringly impossible
mission yet, in “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” the fifth
installment in the constantly accelerating action-thriller series.

This
time out, Cruise’s iconic character, Ethan Hunt, finds himself in
non-stop peril – physical, mental and emotional -- from the film’s
literally high-flying opening moments through one relentless
situation after another. Hunt’s situation is precarious on every
level. The IMF is on the outs, the CIA doesn’t trust him, and now
he’s discovered a rogue agency with the spy-power to bring down any
nation it targets – and they want him to join their crusade of
destruction or they want him dead. On the brink, Hunt must test his
team’s loyalty, his own illustrious endurance and the agenda of the
alluringly secretive spy who saved his skin: Ilsa Faust (Rebecca
Ferguson).

For
Cruise, a fifth time playing Hunt and serving as producer presented
another chance to see just how far he can take the character, and the
entire genre of sophisticated global espionage games. He loves moving
the bar, often hurling the bar, with each new “Mission: Impossible”
film.

“Each
time I think ‘I’ve seen it all’ and I’ve been through every
action challenge a film can have, the next film introduces new
challenges of every kind-- because we’re constantly pushing not
only the action sequences, but the storytelling and characters,”
Cruise says. “To me the ultimate ‘Mission’ movie is never just
about action and suspense – though we love innovating in that area.
It’s really about the combination of action, intrigue and humor
with this very specific, breathless kind experience we create for the
audience. It’s about giving audiences the greatest sense of
adventure and scale -- while keeping a classic sense of cinema. We do
that more than ever in ‘Rogue Nation.’”

“Rogue
Nation” also finds Ethan more dedicated to defusing the destructive
power of evil than ever –in part because he’s grown as an agent
and a person. “Ethan has evolved,” Cruise observes. “He’s
learning to listen to everyone else while still following his own
instincts. I think he’s really progressed in terms of understanding
people for who they are, including himself. I’ve always seen him as
someone’s who’s highly skilled, who has a high level of
athleticism and who will be relentless in pursuing what he believes
is right all the way to the end – but he’s not a superhero, he’s
very human.”

Ethan’s
humanity is put under duress as Hunt confronts a nemesis who is his
dark mirror image – an agent who has tossed his moral compass. “In
this film, Ethan and his team come up against a terrifying villain
who is a match for them, someone who challenges them physically,
intellectually and emotionally,” Cruise says. “Right from the
film’s first moments, Ethan and the team are on their heels,
desperately moving from one situation to the next. The action is
gripping but true to ‘Mission: Impossible,’ within the suspense,
there’s a lot of humor and romance.”

Producer
Dana Goldberg, Chief Creative Officer of Skydance, observes that for
Cruise, embodying Ethan Hunt is something that he never sees as a
completed job but as an evolution. “Tom always has a high bar of
excellence in everything he does, but I think it is even higher when
it comes to ‘Mission: Impossible,’” she observes. “He
approaches Ethan by asking: what is the real way that Ethan Hunt
would respond given this situation and under this amount of pressure?
That’s one of the things that Ethan has always been good at –
handling extreme pressure that never relents. But Tom also is
revealing Ethan as a bit older and smarter, a spy who has grown up in
some ways, who has come to accept what his role is and what the costs
are. He’s a man who has learned to truly rely on his team, and he’s
learned to reach out. You can feel the synergy between character and
actor.”

As
the brains and heart behind the entire franchise, Cruise’s total
commitment is not just to the role and to the stunts, but equally to
the filmmaking, notes Skydance Executive VP of Production Don
Granger, one of the film’s producers. “It's so impressive that in
the middle of a ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie -- which has the most
demanding stunts and the most physically exhausting schedule for Tom
-- he not only gives an amazing performance as Ethan, but he’s also
there all day and all evening after we shoot, and he’s always
involved in an incredibly productive way with the big picture of the
movie.”

Opening
across the Philippines on Thursday, July 30, “Mission:
Impossible – Rogue Nation” is distributed by United International
Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

In
the latest and heart-stopping trailer reveal of “Maze Runner: The
Scorch Trials,” the characters are again pitted against a series of
death-defying obstacles in their continued search for the truth on
who they really are and where they’re going after escaping the
Maze.

Based
on the (second) bestselling book series by James Dashner, Dylan
O’Brien returns who reprises the role of Thomas, the biggest
question for his character faces in “Maze Runner: The Scorch
Trials” is whether he did the right thing by challenging the status
quo and leading the Gladers out of the maze.

Back
on his directorial seat from the first box-office hit “Maze Runner”
film, Wes Ball is not one to rest on his laurels. Picking
up on the story of Thomas and the Gladers now they’ve escaped the
maze, the film introduces audiences to The Scorch, and a whole new
set of challenges faced in a post-apocalyptic Earth.

His
name is 47, based on the highly successful game, “Hitman: Agent 47”
has just revealed its second trailer starring Rupert Friend, Zachary
Quinto, Hannah Ware and Thomas Kretschman directed by Aleksander
Bach.

A
standalone film, the latest breed of new superhuman rises in “Hitman:
Agent 47,” Friend takes on the titular role as an elite assassin
who was genetically engineered from conception to be the perfect
killing machine and is known only by the last two digits on the
barcode tattooed on the back of his neck. Bred as
superhuman which makes Agent 47 an object of obsession for
organizations who want to extract his genetic core to control the
world, the stylish superhuman sets out to bring down the group behind
the mayhem he’s dragged into.

Agent
47 is relentlessly pursuing his creator so they can discontinue the
program that’s starting to wreak havoc, “He’s
actually a clone, a gun for hire, he kills people for money,”
intros Friend of his role as Agent 47. “I was intrigued
by the idea of someone who’s had their emotions genetically
removed,” further shared Friend.

“Hitman:
Agent 47” opens very soon this August 19 nationwide from
20thCentury
Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

James
McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe star in “Victor Frankenstein,” this
year’s grand spectacle of a production and character driven film
contemporizing one of the most beloved literary and film classics of
all time under Paul McGuigan’s direction.

In
the coolest and electrifying reimagining of the mad doctor and his
creation, James McAvoy takes on the titular role Doctor Victor
Frankenstein, a brilliant scientist at the forefront pioneering
medical research. With his research and experiments on trying to save
lives, he then becomes obsessed with the idea of creating life
itself. Radcliffe, on the other hand, plays Igor,
Frankenstein’s trusty and equally brilliant assistant from whose
perspective the movie treads on.

McGuigan’s
“Victor Frankenstein” is an action adventure thriller, with a
script by Max Landis inspired by Mary Shelley’s novel, which was
first published in 1818. In Landis’ version of Frankenstein the
story is set later, in 1861, a time when science was making rapid
advances.

“It’s
taking the core themes of the book - the re-birthing idea, bringing
the dead back to life and the science of that and the moral issues it
brings up and all of those things. What Max Landis has done with his
original script is cherry pick the best bits from the book and the
best bits from the movies of the past so it’s a bit of art
imitating art and reinventing it a little bit,” says McGuigan.

McAvoy
adds: “The themes are all still there. It’s about man trying to
become the ultimate creator, about whether that is right or wrong,
and the discussion of that. It’s also about obsession, and it’s
about ravenous scientific advancement over moral right and wrong, the
film does pay homage to its heritage.”

“I
think our Frankenstein is a really kind of rip-roaring, fun adventure
movie version of Frankenstein. I would really struggle to
class it as horror. I think there are horror elements to
it and nods to previous versions of Frankenstein, but it’s much
more a film about – the thing that I hope will make it stand out is
the relationship between James’ character and I. Victor
and Igor are two people who come to need each other very much… Igor
feels forever that he has this sort of debt of loyalty and the film
then becomes about how much can that debt be pushed? How much
can that loyalty be pushed before – at what point do you have to
step out from the shadows of the person that created you and go, ‘I
am my own person?’ Or, do you forever defer to the
person that is responsible for your life? So it’s sort
of, it’s a film about relationships set against the backdrop of
creating monsters,” added Radcliffe in his previous interviews.

“Victor
Frankenstein” opens very soon this November 25 in
(Phils.) cinemas from 20th Century
Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Set
against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold
War, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” centers on CIA agent Solo (Cavill)
and KGB agent Kuryakin (Hammer). Forced to put aside longstanding
hostilities, the two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious
international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing
the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear
weapons and technology. The duo’s only lead is Gaby Teller
(Vikander), the daughter of a vanished German scientist, who is the
key to infiltrating the criminal organization, and they must race
against time to find him and prevent a worldwide catastrophe.

Solo
and Kuryakin’s working relationship requires a cover, and that’s
where newly sprung East Berliner Gaby Teller becomes a more hands-on
participant. In order to locate her father, presumably held captive
in Rome by a criminal cabal, including Gaby’s odious Uncle Rudi,
she is pressed into a ruse in which Kuryakin will pose as a Russian
architect and she as his loving fiancée. In Rome on holiday while
her faux husband-to-be studies structural design, Gaby will reach out
to Rudi for her father’s whereabouts, in view of her upcoming
nuptials. Solo, meanwhile, will work a parallel angle, pretending not
to know the happy couple while remaining close.

“We
were fans of Alicia’s from ‘A Royal Affair,’” says producer
Lionel Wigram, “and of course she’s gone on to so many other
successes since then. “We wanted a European actress for the role,
someone who could play German and had that fantastic mixture of youth
and naiveté with real intelligence and strength.”

Making
the transition from unpretentious garage mechanic to couture-draped
arm candy isn’t easy for the straight-talking, down-to-earth young
woman. “But if it will keep her this side of the Berlin Wall for
the rest of her life, Gaby is game for just about anything,” says
Vikander.

“I
loved the fact that they made her a cool, tomboyish girl with a lot
of character,” she continues. “Gaby was brought up in a man’s
world and so she’s quite feisty and she knows how to stand her
ground. If anything, she has a tough time relaxing and pretending she
wants to be just a pretty housewife, and I think it’s partly her
desire to assert her independence that causes sparks to fly between
her and Illya.”

Gaby
creates sparks between Kuryakin and Solo, too, but only insofar as it
gives them more to clash over, starting with a comical scene in which
they try to one-up each other with their designer savvy while helping
Gaby select her mod wardrobe…perhaps causing her to wonder if
navigating Armageddon might be the easiest part of this mission.

Vikander
has garnered international recognition since bursting onto the scene
in her film debut, “Pure.” She won Sweden’s prestigious
Guldbagge Award for Best Actress in 2011 for her performance as
Katarina in the 2010 Swedish drama.

2015
will see her in no less than eight films, and her upcoming projects
include a starring role in the next installment of the “Bourne”
action franchise, opposite Matt Damon.

Vikander
also starred in the lead female role opposite Oscar Isaac and
Domhnall Gleeson in Alex Garland’s directorial debut, “Ex
Machina,” released in the US in April. It has been storming the
U.S. box office and enjoying critical acclaim across the board.

Vikander
recently wrapped “The Danish Girl,” starring opposite Eddie
Redmayne, inspired by the true story of Danish artists Einar Wegener
and his wife, Gerda. The film is set for release in the U.S. in
November. She will also be seen starring in Derek Cianfrance’s “The
Light Between Oceans,” based on the M.L Stedman novel, opposite
Michael Fassbender; and the 17th Century romance “Tulip Fever,”
alongside Jack O’Connell, Dane DeHaan and Christoph Waltz, directed
by Justin Chadwick.

Her
other film credits include Joe Wright’s “Anna Karenina,”
alongside Keira Knightley and Jude Law; and “A Royal Affair,”
nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

Set
for release across the Philippines on Aug. 13, “The Man from
U.N.C.L.E.” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros.
Entertainment Company.

Ayala
Malls Cinemas’ exclusive offering, “The Good Lie” presents a
realization how fortunate it is to be born with the comforts of life
– a bed, a blanket, a light, a home, an education and the unlimited
supply and access to food and water.

In
the latest movie “The Good Lie” that will be shown exclusively at
Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide on July 29, we are introduced to
the true stories of thousands of children left orphaned by the
unfolding of the greatest humanitarian crisis in the history - the
brutal civil war in Sudan around 1983.

Along
with Witherspoon, the film stars Corey Stoll (TV’s “House of
Cards”); real-life Sudanese refugees Arnold Oceng (BBC’s “Grange
Hill”) and newcomer Nyakuoth Wiel; Ger Duany (“I Heart
Huckabees”) and rapper Emmanuel Jal, who were both former child
soldiers and lost boys; and Femi Oguns (BBC’s “The
Casualty”). Rounding out the cast are Sarah Baker as
volunteer Pamela Lowi; Mike Pniewski as Mamere’s boss; and children
of real-life Sudanese refugees Peterdeng Mongok, Okwar Jale, Thon
Kueth, Beng Ajuet and Kejo Jale as the younger lost boys.

Together,
against the backdrop of their shared losses, the Lost Boys and these
unlikely strangers find humor in the clash of cultures, and
heartbreak as well as hope in the challenges of life in
America. They were known
simply as “The Lost Boys.” Orphaned by the brutal
Civil war in Sudan that began in 1983, these young victims traveled
as many as a thousand miles on foot in search of safety. Fifteen
years later, a humanitarian effort would bring 3600 lost boys and
girls to America.

"The
Good Lie" centers primarily around three Lost Boys, Mamere, Paul
and Jeremiah. These are fictional characters based on true events
from the thousands of orphaned Sudanese children. We meet
them-together with Mamere's eldest brother, Theo, and younger sister,
Abital-as children, braving the grueling walk from southern Sudan to
the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. Then, 13 years later, we are
re-introduced to them as young adults, and eventually follow the
group to America, where they encounter the kind of culture shock we
can't begin to fathom.

Sadly,
many children died along the way, succumbing to starvation or thirst
or crossing paths with the northern militia. But those who survived
eventually found sanctuary in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. In
2000, as the numbers in the camp grew and there seemed to be no end
to their plight, the United States, urged by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees, began welcoming groups of Lost Boys to
America, where they had the opportunity to build a new life.

Reese
Witherspoon notes, "I was immediately pulled in by the story of
the Lost Boys, just seeing their struggle and how they fought to
survive...and then getting the opportunity to start over again in
America and what inherent challenges that presented to them. The
script really offered a perspective of these two worlds meeting."

“The
Good Lie” opens exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide on
July 29. Check out www.sureseats.com for
advance ticket purchase and reserved seats.

A
dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of a series of historic
events, “Bridge of Spies” tells the story of James Donovan
(Hanks), a Brooklyn lawyer who finds himself thrust into the center
of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible task to
negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot. Screenwriters
Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen have woven this
remarkable experience in Donovan’s life into a story inspired by
true events that captures the essence of a man who risked everything
and vividly brings his personal journey to life.

“Absolutely
Anything” tells the tale of a disillusioned schoolteacher, Neil
Clarke (Pegg), who is suddenly granted the ability to do anything he
wishes. The fate of the world hangs in the balance. One
man’s actions stand between Earth’s survival and its absolute
destruction. The thing is, Neil hasn’t got a clue what’s going
on.

Up
in the distant reaches of outer space, the Intergalactic Council, a
nasty bunch of alien creatures, intercept the Voyager space probe and
look down on planet Earth. These cackling creatures have an appetite
for destruction and believe that Earth and its inhabitants should be
destroyed. However, before such an order can be
placed, Intergalactic Law states that the inhabitants of any planet
must be given the chance to prove themselves. One person or being is
to be selected at random and granted exceptional powers. How they
respond will dictate the planet’s future.

Indeed,
according to director Terry Jones, the filmmakers have assembled
something of a dream team. “Simon Pegg plays our leading man, Neil
Clarke, the teacher, and Kate Beckinsale plays the girl he is in love
with,” the ex-Python says.

When
working through the later drafts of the script together, Jones and
Scott had the advantage of knowing which actors would bring their
script to life. This was especially important in the case of their
leading man, the secondary school teacher, Neil.

For
Pegg, the chance to work with Terry Jones proved too big an
opportunity to turn down. “Obviously the chance to work with Terry
Jones was amazing, and the other Pythons being in the film was
another big draw for me,” explains Pegg. “It was a chance to work
with some of my comic heroes.

Pegg
also loved the Neil character and his unusual journey. “Neil Clarke
is a teacher who is a bit down-trodden, a bit down on his luck,”
says the actor. “He has pretentions of being a writer and a
literary figure, but he’s not either of those things. Then by some
weird chance he is given the power to do anything by a conglomerate
of aliens.”

This
is a busy time for Pegg who has a number of very different films
being released during 2015, and he says he was glad to tackle a
straight-up comedy. “I come from a comedy background and comedy has
always been my great interest,” he says. “I started out doing
sitcoms and sketch shows and that led to comedy films. I love doing
serious stuff but people know me for comedy. I do have to assert
myself dramatically, but as I have a few of those coming up I was
quite happy to go back to an out-and-out comedy because it’s
something I really enjoy.”

“Absolutely
Anything” opens very soon this August 12 from Axinite
Digicinema.

As
part of its continued commitment to uplift the quality of living of
Filipino families, Amaia Land Corp., the affordable residential arm
of Ayala Land Inc., will be opening its first community in
Mindanao, specifically in Cagayan de Oro (CDO).

Amaia
Land continues to expand throughout the country to uplift the lives of more
Filipino families.

Situated
along Macapagal Drive in Barangay Bulua, Amaia Scapes Cagayan De Oro
is set to provide comfort and new opportunities to the people of CDO.

CDO,
dubbed as the “Gateway to Northern Mindanao,” and the
first-class, highly urbanized capital city of Misamis Oriental, which
lies between the central coastline of Macajalar Bay and the mountains
and of Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte, will serve as the backdrop of
Amaia Scapes Cagayan De Oro.

Homeowners
can choose from different models, namely Bungalow Pod, Twin Pod, Single Home,
Twin Home, and Carriage Pod, which are all well-designed and affordable.

The
first phase of the project covering a land area of 2.64
hectares will have 97 residential units. Affordable and
well-designed homes will be offered to buyers, who can choose from
various house models, namely Bungalow Pod, Twin Pod, Single Home,
Twin Home, and Carriage Pod. Lot areas range from 65 to 120 square
meters.

Owing
to its strategic location, Amaia Scapes Cagayan De Oro has easy
access to key establishments like schools, malls, and hospitals.
Nearby schools include Bulua National High School, Academy of
International Education, City Central School, and Xavier University.
Shopping centers like Centrio Mall, Gaisano City Mall,
Robinsons Mall, and Limketkai Mall are also nearby.

Amaia
Scapes CDO first phase boasts a total of 97 residential; units and a total land
area of 2.64 hectares.

Future
residents need not to go far to relax and unwind from daily grind as
they can spend their leisure time at the village patio, which houses
a pavilion, swimming pool, basketball court, and playground for
kids. The Patio Greens, which serves as an extension of
their homes, will satisfy their craving for open space, peace and
quiet.

Safety
will not be a cause of worry as Amaia Scapes Cagayan De Oro is
carefully designed with guarded entrance and exits, a perimeter
fence, and 24 hour roving security. In case of
emergencies, there are also nearby hospitals in the vicinity like the
CDO Medical Center, Polymedic General Hospital, and Madonna &
Child Hospital.

Amaia
Scapes CDO boasts is known for its strategic location and efficient
transportation facilities.

Families
will benefit from a secure and organized living experience as the
village will be managed by Ayala Property Management Corporation.

Availing
of an Amaia home is easy with the sales office located near the
development.

With Amaia Scapes CDO, families need not to go far just
to relax and unwind because they can spend leisure time at the village patio,
which houses a pavilion, swimming pool, basketball court, and playground for
kids.

Buyers
can choose from various financing schemes, such as cash payment,
deferred, PAG-IBIG, Bank and In-house financing.

With Amaia Scapes
Cagayan De Oro, your dream home is within reach. In this “City of
Golden Friendship”, you can find true gold in the form of simple
yet quality living with the people you love the most.

Whenever
one thinks of his or her fondest childhood memory, images of summers
spent with family are evoked—unforgettable vacations in a beautiful
destination or long and lazy afternoons in the old hometown. It’s
what nostalgia does. Those precious bygone years are dredged from our
memories, making us relive the innocence and happiness of the child
we once were.

Today, there’s a perfect place to
make new memories with the people you love—Aspenhills in Tagaytay
Highlands. A home away from home, the place can very well be the
family’s favorite getaway with its promise of serene and peaceful
living, just two hours’ drive from Metro Manila.

Soothe
the stresses of city life in this exclusive hilltop community, which
offers astonishing views of Batangas, Laguna, Canlubang Valley, and
Laguna de Bay. With a backdrop as spectacular as this, make spending
weekends in a modern-ranch style and mountain lodge-themed community
relaxing for the whole family.

This 27-hectare modern
ranch-inspired log cabin community in Tagaytay Highlands offers astonishing
mountain views of Batangas and Laguna, the Canlubang Valley, and Laguna de Bay.
It is surrounded by hundreds of pine trees with lot areas ranging from 300-800
square meters.

Inspired
by the picturesque and elegant Aspen in Colorado, USA, each log home
in Aspenhills exudes the warmth and intimacy one seeks on chilly
days. With the rustic charm of wood and touches of contemporary glass
and stone, it’s the perfect setting for savoring Tagaytay’s
year-round cool weather.

Aspenhills
provides you convenience and comfort with its modern amenities. The
privacy and safety of homeowners are also given foremost importance
with its 24-hour gated security.

Within this 27-hectare development are amenities
that promote a holistic lifestyle. Strengthen family bonds and spend
afternoons at the Sunshine Picnic Grove. Watch the kids play and be
out and about at the Little Ranch Playground. Hold intimate
gatherings at the Village Hall where you can celebrate life’s feats
with friends and family or a simple tete-a-tete with your neighbors
on an idle afternoon.

On top of all these, Aspenhills
residents can also enjoy Tagaytay Highlands’ topnotch leisure
facilities situated within 1,290 hectares of lush greenery.

Tagaytay
Highlands boasts first-class amusement for the family, highlighted by
the first and only Swiss cable car system in the country and two
championship golf courses, while the superb Sports Center and The Spa
and Lodge wellness center offer the best facilities for residents and
guests who want to relax and de-stress.

Enjoy the company of
family and friends at the Village Hall. The perfect place to spend quality
moments with the people who matters most.

There
are more than twenty dining outlets in the neighborhood—pick one to
cap a day of activities and fun or choose a place for the next family
reunion or birthday party.

With a place to call home in a
premier destination like Aspenhills, you and your family have the
best chance yet to make memories that could last a lifetime.

Over the years, properties in this
mountain resort have appreciated. And with suburbanization, Tagaytay
Highlands is one of the best investment options there is in real
estate as it is strategically located in the midst of emerging
tourist destinations. Tagaytay Highlands continues to provide the
market viable property selections with its continuous development.

-30-

Tagaytay
Highlands is a leisure development of the SM Group of Companies.
Situated in the highest elevations of Tagaytay, the premier leisure
destination speaks of exclusivity and luxury. It is where stunning
naturescapes and breezy, cool weather come together to redefine
relaxation. And where golf and country clubs, fine restaurants,
world-class amenities, and premium residential communities reshape
your idea of a weekend getaway. For more information on how to own a
Highlands home, please visit www.tagaytayhighlands.com
or call (632) 5052422 and (63917) 5150158.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Blumhouse Pictures first presented Sinister in 2012 that starred Ethan Hawke as a writer who found a box of old home recorded videos that showed tragic clips of different families. Now the horror continues with Mr. Boogie returning in Sinister 2 practically doing the same thing all over again and finding his next victim.

The trailer already surfaced the net which you can view below:

The sequel is directed by Ciarán Foy (Citadel) and co-penned by C. Robert Cargill and Scott Derrickson who directed the first film. It stars Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight's Tale), Tate Ellington (The Walking Dead), Dartanian Slaon (Hick) and two returnees James Ransone and Nicholas King

Synopsis: In the aftermath of the shocking events in Sinister, a protective young mother (Shannyn Sossamon)
and her 9 year-old twin sons move into a rural house that Bughuul is
residing in. He tries to convince one of the children to kill his whole
family and film the murders. Meanwhile, Deputy So & So (James Ransone) investigates the murders himself, in an attempt to stop more of these murders from happening.

SINISTER 2 OPENS SEPTEMBER 9 IN CINEMAS NATIONWIDE AND WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BY PIONEER FILMS

We are so excited when we first heard that Ted will be back for a movie sequel. Well, it isn't surprising as Ted was a successful R-comedy in 2012. Finally, after months of waiting, we saw Ted 2 last night, and we are just so happy to see the "Thunder Buddies" back on the big screen.

Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is now married with her beloved Tami Lynn (Jessica Barth) but a year after their fruitful commitment it became shaky and the only way to save it is by adopting a child. However, their request was turned down and much bigger problem rises in the state declaring that Ted isn't an actual person but a property. With the help of his best friend John (Mark Wahlberg) they hire a lawyer (Amanda Seyfried) to defend Ted's rights and be treated as a normal person. However, this isn't that easy as they must face a great lawyer, (John Slattery) who hasn't lost a single case.

Ted 2 is pretty much the same as the first one. But there are more drugs, a lot of F word in the process and of course Rated R humor to enjoy. However, aside from these things, the movie can't seem to offer something fresh and mostly relied with its recycled jokes but still funny enough to make the entire thing float. It was a big blow when they lost Mila Kunis to reprise her role, but Amanda Seyfried was up for that challenge to fill in that spot.

The gag still centers with the Thunder Buddies with John and Ted stuck at their daily routine in having fun. They take on a new adventure that produces genuine laughs plus a lot of cameo appearances to surprise the viewers. Mark Wahlberg is clearly having fun but didn't really get the same attention he has on the first one. Seth MacFarlane, on the other hand, is still providing the same formula, but thankfully he managed to come up with a little more of hit comedy than miss in this sequel.

Overall, Ted 2 is still a worthy sequel. However, we know that this could have been a better and funnier, but if you loved the first one; there is no reason for you to miss this part. We also wouldn't mind to seeing a third film for this franchise.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

After serving ten years in prison, Frankie (Adriene Brody) is finally out and is ready for redemption to commit another crime.However, he needs his younger brother's help Jimmy (Hayden Christensen) who also wants to start a new business but can't seem to find a bank to lend him a loan to start. Together with two gangsters Ray (Tory Kittles) and Sugar (Akon), they all planned to rob a bank and hopes that it would be the solution to their financial problems and finally change their lives.

American Heist has undoubtedly comprised with talented actors joining in one film. However, the film is quite messy at times and doesn't seem to hold the pieces together. The action scenes are done in minimal fashion, and the storyline centralizes more with the drama between the two brothers. What we love in this flick is the presence of Adriene Brody, who is always in best shape in every film he appears. Same as Hayden Christensen who also provided a strong performance making the entire film watchable throughout. We just wished they have given Jordana Brewster more material he can work with. We also loved the ending which is pretty slick and emotional.

Overall, American Heist focuses more with the drama within the two central characters played by enjoyable actors. It just lacked firepower to boost it up a bit more and maybe a better plan for the heist should have done the trick.

Perhaps
nothing plays on an audience’s own phobias better than making them
feel trapped in the kind of place they might frequent every day, all
the while hunted by some unknown, unseen force. “It
could happen to you, too,” or so the filmmakers seem to be saying
while, one by one, the characters on screen face an untimely demise
in a variety of horrific manners.

In
New Line Cinema’s horror thriller “The Gallows,” that everyday
locale is a high school auditorium. Moviegoers have all
been there, no matter their hometown, and therefore can all put
themselves in the characters’ place.

“Even
the most familiar place is different at night,” director Chris
Lofing says. “Few of us would choose to experience an empty
school in the middle of the night. Empty hallways, all the doors
closed. Right away, most of us would be a little freaked
out.”

Adding
to that, Lofing continues, “Supernatural things start happening,
and then become more and more intense. But no one knows
these guys are there, no help is coming for them. It
becomes a very desperate situation.”

Certain
exteriors were accomplished in Lofing’s hometown of Beatrice,
Nebraska, the setting for the film. However, “The
Gallows” was shot primarily in and around Fresno,
California. Utilizing Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium as
the main setting for the story, the filmmakers shot night-for-night,
adding to the realism for both the cast and, ultimately, moviegoers.

“Night-for-night
interiors are rare,” Blum observes, “but it was done to give the
actors the true feeling of, well, being out in the middle of the
night, just like their characters.”

One
of director Travis Cluff’s favorite scenes—coincidentally shot on
a Fridaythe 13th, on the thirteenth day of principal
photography—also maintained an air of realism for most of those
involved. “No kidding, it was the thirteenth day, on
a Fridaythe 13th, and we were hanging someone.”

Cluff
and Lofing had discussed at length how to make the sequence as
legitimate as possible in order to get the best “audience”
reaction. “We brought in a bunch of extras to be our
theater audience, watching the original version of the play in 1993,
and we rehearsed it earlier that day,” Cluff goes on to say. “We
explained to our main actors, who knew the story, what we were doing,
but we never told our audience that Charlie was going to
hang. Instead, we practiced it in a fake way, with him
taking off the noose and getting away. Now they think
that’s how it’s supposed to go. And the actors on the
stage are supposed to react like it wasn’t supposed to happen.

“However,
when we shot the scene, Chris and I wanted to make sure the actors
who were in on it would also be surprised, including the kid playing
Charlie. So we did it sooner in the dialogue than he, or
they, expected it.”

Naturally,
the on-set prank was accomplished with complete safety, thanks to the
presence of a stuntman/safety coordinator dressed as though he were
part of the cast. “He came running out—looking like
he’s the drama teacher of the time—screaming,
‘Charlie! Charlie! Somebody call a
doctor!’ Our actors were stunned, but our audience was
totally shocked—the look on some of their faces was priceless.”

That
scene, which actually opens the film, has the look of having been
shot on a home video camera. The bulk of the movie,
however, takes place 20 years later and is meant to be seen mainly
through the lens of today’s ever-present video camera: the cell
phone.

The
filmmakers employed a variety of cameras at various grades, including
a Canon C300, the Panasonic Lumix GH2, RED and Sony. “I
think we used just about every camera in the book,” Cluff jokes.

Blum
admires their resourcefulness. “What makes a scary movie
scary is when the characters’ lives are threatened. But
when your life is threatened, the last thing you do is hold onto a
camera. Chris and Travis were able to make it feel
organic. The camera is justified all the way through the
movie, which makes it resonate in a cool way.”

“Together,
Chris and Travis have created an authentic scary movie experience
that audiences will love,” Blum states. “I know from
experience that people love being scared, in all different
ways—riding a rollercoaster, sitting in a dark movie
theater—whatever gets your adrenalin going and makes you feel
alive. I think that ‘The Gallows’ is that exceptional
movie that doesn’t feel like anything else…and is really
terrifying.”

Opening
across the Philippines on July 22, “The Gallows” is distributed
by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.